First posted in 1996

Name: Frank Taylor

Born: January 18, 1936, in London, UK

Occupation: Cranfield University lecturer and consultant on aviation safety, aircraft accident investigation and crisis management.

Home: Northampton, UK

All-time T&F bests: 100 yards 10.3; 220y 23.0; 440y 51.1; long jump 21-6 1/2 (6.57m), all around 1957-60 before my children were born and domesticity took precedence. In fact I hardly managed to improve on my 1957 University of Reading performances which weren’t that good anyway!

Masters achievements: Having never stopped playing rugby football during the winter, I never became totally unfit but didn’t run or jump on the track again until I was about 42 so achieved nothing startling as an M40. However, my times kept on improving until I was 45.

In 1981, at age 45, I had bests of 11.4 for the 100 metres, 23.3 for 200m; 52.1 for 400 m and a British M45 long jump record (since lost) of 6.21 metres (20-4.5). In 1982 I won Bronze in the European Championships 100 metres in 12.01 (having run 11.70 in the semis), and Silver in the 200 m in 23.44.

In the 1984 Europeans I got the M45 Bronze in the long jump with 6.03 metres (19-9 1/4) and followed this with M50 Bronzes in 1986 and 1988 with 5.92 (19-5) and 5.82m (19-1), respectively. At both of these championships I won the Gold at the 400m with 53.9 and 54.9, respectively, and in 1986 set a British M50 long jump record of 5.95m (19-6 1/4).

The high spot of my career must be beating my unrelated namesake Ron Taylor (who holds a list of world records as long as your arm) in a heat of the 60 metres British Indoor Championships of 1987.The time of 7.4 set a world M50 record which Ron equalled when beating me in the final, but though others have equalled it since I think that it may still stand.

Since then I achieved a few useful marks in the 400m and the long jump at M55 but have had knee trouble since pulling something in 1993. Now at long last it seems to work again so since my M60 indoor results (already posted) I feel that I can start training again and achieve some useful times and distances outdoors. However I decided not to take time off for this year’s Europeans as I want to take things reasonably gently -- and I can’t afford it!

The latter problem has prevented me from getting to a World Championships since my only one in 1979. There’s not much sponsorship or prize money around for us oldies so it’s just as well we’ve always done it for fun, though I still haven’t quite worked out where the fun is in 400 metres, so I suppose I’ll have to keep on looking!

In March 1996 British Indoor Championships, now at M60, I managed a best of 5.23m (17-1 3.4) to win the long jump and was second in 59.94 to Wilf Morgan's 59.82 in the 400m (believed to be a new M60 indoor world record).

In March 1997, Frank wrote: “Managed a bronze in the M60 200m (26.75 but 26.59 in the heat) and won the gold in the 400m with 60.22 (at the first European Indoor Veterans Championships) and though a bit stiff all round my knee held up.” He competes in a veterans league --the Northampton Phoenix AC.

When I was 45ish, I used to do a moderate amount, (twice a week) repeat 200m at maybe two seconds slower than flat out -- which soon became flat out! with all the usual stretching etc., with competition most weekends. However, when in 1992 (I think) I pulled a hamstring in training, on my fourth fast 200, I decided that I would in future save myself for competition!

Since then my sole but “virtually every morning bar twinges” training has been some exercises while the cat and dog eat their breakfast, a gentle jog plus some bounces, etc., while getting the 800m to our local riverbank, a few more stretches and then a rolling start timed sprint over 200m with an intermediate timing at about 150m, completed by general heavy breathing and toe-touching and a jog and walk back to the house.

My aim is to go absolutely flat out at least three times a week and gradually improve.

Of course what has happened is that a recurrent knee/hamstring problem has meant that I keep having to get back to where I was a few months previously. I also normally always run up stairs two or three at a time. However, perhaps the most important feature is to drink wine with every meal (though to be honest I’ve never
checked to see what deterioration there would be if I stopped and I don’t think I'll take that risk).

My feeling is that as one gets older the balancing act between fitness and injury gets more sensitive, but maybe this is only me as until my mid-50s I hardly knew what an injury (apart from knocks and twists from rugby) was.